Fish: Omega 3s and Human Health

The benefits of omega 3s in fish are amazing to health. You must be an educated consumer and be sure you know your fish sources before buying. With heavy metals and pollution at a high there are different grades of fish and knowing your source is very important. Be sure you are getting the best, purest, freshest, least processed seafood source available. The best type of fish is wild caught fish.

While you embark into new eating habits you will have to look, read, research to find the most convenient food sources available to you and your family. My most favorite type of fish is wild sockeye salmon that ships anywhere in the US through a company called vital choice. You can find them online at vitalchoice.com. Be sure to check out the specials section and you can get a great value from a pure source for an affordable price. You can read about the fresh wild sockeye Alaskan Salmon on the vital choice website as well which provides some great information on the power of omega 3s. This source was mentioned on the Dr. Oz show and remains to be the best freshest value out there for the money. The seafood arrives on dry ice and can be refrigerated or frozen depending on the use. Find a seafood source best for you, your budget and your family. Be sure to look around and you will be surprised at what values you can find.

The best choices my town offers are Whole Foods, and or Trader Joes, for picking up some healthy wild sokeye salmon or other omega 3 rich fish.Find out what works for you and locate a source for your healthy omega 3s.

Another great place is the local Farmers Market where local companies represent themselves to the public providing fresh wild caught salmon and other omega 3 rich fish. Most of these reps typically sell to restaurants and you can find great fresh fish with super values. The Farmers Market allows you to get the fresh seafood cleaned and fileted for your convenience right there. One of my favorites is in Santa Monica, CA. Explore and find out if your town hosts a farmers market where local people and healthy fresh and local foods are available. You can usually find many other items at the farmers markets including organic vegetables, organic fruits, nuts, fresh pasta, fresh artisan breads, live music, plants, flowers, and more with great savings offered direct to the public.

Omega-3s and Human Health
Wild Salmon which is a fatty fish is very high in healthy Omega 3s. Other fish high in Omegas include wild, Tuna, Sardines, and Sablefish. These are the only abundant food sources of the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids known as EPA and DHA. You should try your best to get some of these into your diet each week for optimal health.

There have been endless studies that show omega 3s are active in promoting optimal health. (Short-chain omega-3s in plant foods are not as beneficial as omega-3s in seafood. Although plant based omega 3s are also very healthy for the body, wild seafood remains the highest in beneficial omega 3s.

The American Heart Association (AHA) promotes omega-3s in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease as a preventative measure. Although research continues to be gathered, all research to date has confirmed that omega-3s have the following benefits:

Decrease risk of sudden deaths caused by arrythmias

Decrease blood fat levels aka triglyceride

Decrease rapid growth of arterial plaque aka atherosclerosis

Slightly Lowers blood pressure

The American Heart Association recommends the following:

People without coronary heart disease: Should eat two servings of fish per week

Patients needing to lower triglycerides: Should take 2-4 gm of omega-3s daily.

Patients taking more than 3 gm of omega-3s per day from fish oil supplements should do so only under a physician’s guidance.

Persons diagnosed with heart disease – especially those using implanted cardiac defibrillators or taking blood thinning drugs – should consult a physician before taking supplemental omega-3s or any other dietary supplement.

Other Beneficial Nutrients in Fish
Wild Salmon is the richest food source of two more amazing benefits vitamin D and Astaxanthin:

Vitamin D offers strong bone-building, anti-cancer benefits and more.

Astaxanthin is a powerful red orange carotenoid-class antioxidant that gives wild salmon its color. Astaxanthin also has some incredibly powerful anti-inflammatory properties.

Notable Quotes
Here’s what some experts say about the importance of diet and omega-3 fatty acids to your health:

“Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids can stop arrhythmia before it triggers sudden death from heart attacks. That makes fish such as salmon as potentially potent as any high tech heart drug and considerably cheaper to stock up on.”–Dr. Alexander Leaf, Professor Emeritus, Harvard University

“Omega-3 fatty acids have so many biological roles because they are a primary element of health for virtually every cell and organ system in the body. Along with their partners, the omega-6 fatty acids, they keep our bodies in balance, modulating such basic physiological functions as inflammation, cell signaling, blood pressure, immune response, and the electrical excitability of heart and brain cells.”–Andrew Stoll, Faculty, Harvard Medical School

“By far, the best type of omega-3 fats are those found in fish. That’s because the omega-3 in fish is high in two fatty acids crucial to human health, DHA and EPA. These two fatty acids are pivotal in preventing heart disease, cancer, and many other diseases. The human brain is also highly dependent on DHA, and maintaining high DHA levels can help deter depression, schizophrenia, memory loss, and Alzheimer’s. Omega-3 is also very important for pregnant women and children, as researchers are now also linking inadequate intake of omega-3 to premature birth and low birth weight, and to hyperactivity in children.”
–Joseph Mercola, D.O., founder/director, The Optimal Wellness Center

“My anti-aging patients often start out eating fish two to three times a week. When they see how quickly their skin improves, they are quick to increase their intake to five to seven fish meals a week.”
–Nicholas Perricone, M.D., author ofThe Wrinkle Cure, The Perricone Prescription, The Acne Cure

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